The Suns Have to Go Back

I just watched the entire Lost series this summer, banging out all five seasons in a little over two months. It was riveting, but now I have no idea how I am going to wait until January 2010 to see the exciting conclusion to the series. All I can really do is make random references to the show in my posts until it comes back. That being said I was re-watching the iconic season three finale, an exchange between a drunken, bearded Jack Shephred telling Kate Austin “we have to go back!” It made me think about the Suns off-season. Check out the clip:

Just imagine that scene with Robert Sarver playing the roll of bearded, pill-popping Jack and Steve Kerr playing the role of disinterested and slightly disturbed Kate. Change all references of the island to “fast break basketball” and this is totally a conversation Sarver and Kerr probably had early this Summer.

We can even go so far as relating the finale of season four to this off-season. Here is the clip for that one:

In this clip, Sarver still plays the roll of Jack. Amare Stoudemire can play the role of Ben (keeps switching from good and bad) and anything that signifies the death of the seven seconds or less era can be represented by the dead John Locke (Steve Nash being an obvious choice here).

So the Suns had to go back, back to fast break basketball. They did, which should make next year somewhat exciting. At least they aren’t stuck in 1977, but if they were that would be cool because that was the year after they made their first NBA Finals.

If we were going to relate current Suns players to other characters of Lost, who would be who?

Welcome Home Channing Frye!

I'm Back in the 'Zona

Arizona’s own Channing Frye will be signing a contract with the Phoenix Suns.

I am thrilled by this development because I have followed Channing Frye all his career. I went to high school with Frye (St. Mary’s Knights!) and watched as he led our school to their first StateChampionship in basketball. When he went to U of A I stopped rooting for him but I didn’t root against him (like I do with most U of A players). I was excited to see him get drafted high by New York and I was surprised when they basically gave up on him after a solid rookie season.

What will Frye bring to Phoenix? He is the type of mobile big man that fits well in the Suns’ run and gun system. He has a solid mid-range shot which will allow him to play offAmare Stoudemire and run the pick and pop with Steve Nash. Frye may not be the greatest defender in the world but his mobility will make him light years better thanShaq and should help shore up the pick and roll defense a little bit. Frye isn’t a dominate rebounder like Shaq was, so the Suns may be getting beat on the boards most games.

The Suns are getting Frye cheap, making this a good signing for Phoenix. I want to welcome the former St. Mary’s Knight back home and hope he has the same affect on the Suns that he did on the Knights.

The Right Idea

I like what the Suns are doing with their signing of Frye, re-signing of Grant Hill and deciding to keep Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. The Suns are not a championship team next year, but they will be a competitive team that will be fun to watch. It would have been pointless for them to completely rebuild when they didn’t have their first round draft pick in 2010. The combo of Frye and Lopez at center may not wow anyone, but their mobility will improve the Suns’ offense and help to mask some of Steve Nash’s defensive woes.

I’m loving the Suns’ bench this year. The only real star on the bench is Barbosa, but the rest of the group consists of some high energy guys that are willing to bust their asses and play defense. This is the perfect kind of bench for this team. Jared Dudley and LouAmundson aren’t stars but they are popular role players that will help the Suns win games. Earl Clark could be a solid bench player or a complete bust, his impact on this team isunpredictable right now. With improved confidence by playing under Alvin Gentry I think that Robin Lopez and Goran Dragic are going to be much improved over last year.

The Suns won’t be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy next year, but they will probably win 45+ games and be fun to watch. That is a season I can get behind.

Ron Artest’s MJ Tribute

I don’t care if it is already all over the internet, if it involves Michael Jackson and Ron Artest it is going to be posted on this blog:

Suns Interested in Shawn Marion?

Rumor coming from Gambo on Sports 620 today is that the Suns are interested in signing Shawn Marion once his rights get renounced by the Toronto Raptors.

You all remember Marion, the fun loving, high flying forward that was a staple for the run and gun Suns. He was a perfect fit for the Suns’ system until he complained about his contact and got traded for Shaq.

I, personally, would love to see the Matrix back. He is one of my favorite players of all time. How funny would it be if the Suns traded away Shaq and signed Marion this off-season, putting the franchise right back where they were two years ago? Two years ago the Suns fans were pretty frustrated with this team, but if the Suns reconstructed that team today we would all love it. Time changes everything, I guess.

Bringing back Marion and keeping Amare would make the Suns legit playoff contenders again for one last year. It would energize a down in the dumps fan base and probably ensure the Suns would keep their sellout streak alive. If he really would sign for the MLE the Suns have to do it.

Here is one Suns fan really hoping this happens.

Plus, it would mean the return of the Shawn Marion halftime interview!

Christmas in July?! No…better…a 2009-2010 NBA Western Conference Standings Breakdown in July!

Let me begin by saying that as of 8 days ago I’m fairly certain that there has never been a duller stretch of sports in my life. The Suns have been gone for months, the NBA playoffs put up as good an ending as Rocky V did to its series, I have decided I would rather put all of my D-backs gear in the back of my closet and just pretend like this year is over than watch one more game (as much shit as I talk, I’m still watching because of 4 guys: Haren, Upton, Reynolds and Gracie), and there is still about 2 months till football. In the past 8 days, I have been given the NBA Draft and 2 days of free agent signings. Call me crazy, but due to the little bit of sports excitement these events have provided, I have decided to run with it and create a 2010-2011 Western Conference Standings (#1-8). This is obviously way premature and will surely change within days but I feel like a kid who got to open one present on Christmas Eve and feels the need to tell everyone how awesome his new boxer shorts are and how excited he is for the following morning. So, without further ado……..

8. New Orleans Hornets
By no means do I love the Hornets and really the only reason they made the list was because of a lack of options. After the 8 and 9 spots, the west drops off dramatically. Last year the #9 team (Phoenix) won 46 games and the #10 team (Golden State) won 29. I think the Hornets were exposed last year and if they trade Chandler to the Suns for Ben Wallace (keep your fingers crossed), they get even worse. Chris Paul is one of the best players in the league but he is by himself out there. I wish I could pick Kevin Durant and James Harden to carry the Thunder to a playoff spot (A pick that would solely be made from the heart. Durant is one of the best young scorers ever (compare the numbers at his age to anyone at the same age, its scary) and James Harden is well…James Harden, my biggest man crush for the past 2 years. Go Devils!) but we all know that’s not happening. However, a year ago, everyone told me the Cardinals making it to the Super Bowl just wasn’t happening…

7. Utah Jazz
They won 48 games last year and Boozer only played in 37 (it was more like 33 since it took him 4 games to get back into it after the injury and receive normal minutes). He’s a huge part of that team and if he stays healthy next year, the Jazz are going to be a different team, especially with the emergence of Paul Millsap.

6. Dallas Mavericks
Dallas won 50 games last year and I really can’t figure out how. I’ll give them this; Dirk is on top of his game, Jason Terry can score, I guess Kidd still has a little left and Josh Howard is a stud. Negatives: Dirk can’t lead the team, Terry and Kidd can’t defend and I think Josh Howard is stoned more than he’s not. Next, and the biggest, can you name another player you would want on your team? Can you name another player? They have to have the least depth of any team that made the playoffs last year. Their next highest scorers are Brandon Bass, Jose Barea, James Singleton, Antoine Wright, Erika Dampier and Gerald Green (remember the “Birthday Cake” guy…maybe the greatest slow mo I have ever seen). I just don’t think this team can compete with any of the top teams in the West.

5. Phoenix Suns
I am basing this rank on a few assumptions: 1. We keep Amare 2. We make the trade for Chandler by giving up Ben Wallace (maybe a stretch but cut me some slack, I’m doing a Western Conference breakdown in July…this whole piece is a stretch). This makes the starting lineup Nash, Barbosa (possibly Hill if we sign him, but I’d prefer the Blur), Richardson, Amare and Chandler. That has to be the most athletic and built for running starting lineup in the league with one of the best point guards for the job leading them. Can you see Nash averaging 12 assists again and putting up another 20 assist game somewhere? Gentry is going to let them run and they are built for it. I don’t think they are going to be good enough defensively or deep enough to compete with the big dogs but I’ll be damned if it’s not going to be fun to watch that team average 120! **Complete side note: Why the hell did the Suns draft Taylor Griffin and how did my TV not get thrown out the window at that same moment? These are 2 questions I will never know the answer to. Is there anybody that sees Griffin’s 9 points a game and 5 rebounds a game in 30 minutes a game translating to a successful NBA career? Anybody? Patty Mills out of Saint Mary’s College is a stud and was available. I know he would have been the Suns third point guard and he’s undersized at 6ft and 180lbs but anyone who watched him play and saw the other Griffin play would easily pick Patty first in a pickup game.

4. Denver Nuggets
I really like this Nuggets team and I think they will have another good year next year. I simply could not pick them to finish ahead of…

3. Portland Trailblazers
I’ll start with this, Brandon Roy is going to be a superstar and his 23-5-5 last year (at the age of 24), agree with me. It seems very likely that Portland signs Hedo Turkoglu soon and he has just proved what kind of player he is in the 2009 playoffs. This gives them 2 crunch time scorers that can create a shot for themselves anytime they want. Not to mention, one of them isn’t going to be guarded by the best defensive player on the opposing team. Lamarcus Aldridge is underrated and a budding stud. He averaged 18-8 last year at the age of 23! Roy and Aldridge will be a year older and have a little playoff experience to put under their belt. Adding Hedo makes this team very good. Blake is a good fit at point and it doesn’t matter too much because Hedo or Roy can run it at the end of games. If (and I know this is the biggest if yet) Oden can stay healthy, his rebounding and shot blocking is an added bonus next to Aldridge’s great offensive skills. Portland finished with the same record as Denver last year. I see where Portland is adding to their team while Denver seems to be standing pat.

2. San Antonio Spurs
Yesterday, I had the Spurs at number one and I still feel they have a great chance to win the title. Duncan still has it and I will not be budged on that. He averaged 19 and 11 last year and is still one of the toughest big men to guard in the league. Parker is in his prime coming off a 22 and 7 year. Ginobili is still the best 6th man when healthy. I know he only played about half the year last year but I blame a lot of that on his playing with Argentina in the offseason after making it to the Western Conference Finals the year before. Then they give up Bowen, Thomas and Oberto for Richard Jefferson! What a steal! Especially since it looks like at least 2 of them are going to get dropped and resign with the Spurs. Jefferson is a perfect fit to this team. Last year, Milwaukee’s points were pretty spread out (Redd 21 only for 33 games, Jefferson 20, Villanueva 16, Sessions and Bogut with 12). This tells me that he can easily step into a role where Parker and Duncan will each get around 20, Ginobili can have his 15 and Jefferson can still find ways to put points on the board. For all those that feel Duncan is on the decline, Jefferson can easily step in and make up that slack. This team may not win the most regular season games. In fact, many will be counting them out early and then out of nowhere, a month before the playoffs, people will be talking about how the spurs have brought it together and are playing really well.

1. Los Angeles Lakers
I hate the Lakers and it says a lot when I feel they are going to be number one. I stay up at night sometimes trying to convince myself that they aren’t that good. I still think Cleveland and a healthy Boston would have beaten them in the Finals. However, the Lakers moved to number one in my book with the acquisition of Ron Artest. As much of an idiot as the guy is, I love the way he plays the game. He is still a great defender who doesn’t take plays off on either end and we have seen him step aside to a better scorer (T-Mac). Artest is the best on offense when he is the second or third option; otherwise his shot selection gets bad because he forces it when he thinks he has to score. This happened a lot when McGrady was hurt. Ariza will be gone but I always thought he was expendable anyway. An athletic guy who knocks down 3’s; I don’t see why Shannon Brown can’t step in and fill that role. As of right now, it is up in the air as to whether Lamar Odom is staying and I think this makes a difference. If he stays, the Lakers could match up with big teams by going Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Gasol, Bynum and bring Odom off the bench or when the matchups call for it, go a little smaller with Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Odom and Gasol. They would remain deep and improve an already good defensive team.

So there it is; the never before done Western Conference standings breakdown in July. They say it couldn’t be done. And for God’s sake, will August just get here already because I am ready for some footballllllll, some Monday night partyyyyyy!!!!

-Josh Wray

Figuring Out the Suns

So much has gone on with the Phoenix Suns the past week you could write a Greek Tragedy about it. Actually, I think David McCullough is going to base his next historic work on it. I’m pretty sure we could somehow relate Shakespeare to what has been going on with this team. Alright enough with the literature, let’s try and figure out what the hell is going on with this team.

Seven Foot Three Sixty, Shaq Diesel in the Hizzy

Shaq Be Gone

The Shaquille O’Neal era is officially over in Phoenix. What did he bring us? A lot of hype, a lot of comedy, surprisingly good play and a lot of disappointment. What is incredible is that Shaq, personally, exceeded all expectations the Suns had when they traded for him but the trade was still a disaster. It’s easy to say that the Suns should have kept Shawn Marion, but remember that during the season Shawn Marion was basically giving up on games. I won’t kill the Suns for the Shaq trade, even though it effectively ended their Seven Seconds or Less era. What really killed the Suns was losing Marion’s defensive versatility, Shaq couldn’t defend the pick and roll to save his life and made Steve Nash look even worse on defense than he already did.

Shaq had to go so the Suns could get back to their running ways. The two players the Suns traded for, Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, won’t play on this team. Unless the Suns move Ben Wallace to the Hornets for Tyson Chandler this is a complete salary dump. If the Suns are able to acquire Chandler, then this trade actually looks pretty darn good for the Suns. Even if the Suns don’t make the trade the departure of Shaq allows the Suns to return to their super up-tempo ways that should benefit Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire greatly.

The Amare Situation

The Suns apparently had a deal in place to send Amare to Golden State for the 7th pick, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Wright and Marco Belinelli. Once Golden State got Stephen Curry they decided to nix the trade. I like the point Dan Bickley raises, would this have happened if Jerry Colangelo was still in charge? I didn’t mind that trade but it screams of the Suns giving up. They have a chance to be a playoff team with Amare this year, they have no chance without him. I think Curry, Biedrins and Wright are good building blocks but I am reluctant to give up on a season when the Suns don’t have their draft pick in 2010 (another awesome trade by Kerr/Sarver!).

If the Suns can pull off that trade for Tyson Chandler, having Amare and Chandler gives them a frount court perfectly suited for the run and gun game. I don’t think that they should try to trade with Golden State anymore, they should tell them to fuck off for what they pulled on Phoenix. Amare is going to go all out in 2009-10 because it is the last year of his contract and he will be much easier to trade later this season. Even if he leaves he creates a ton of cap space for Phoenix. It is better to hold onto him right now.

Earl Clark

I liked the Suns pick of Earl Clark. He is a long, athletic player with the ability to play both forward positions. He gives the Suns something they have lacked since they traded Shawn Marion. I find it kind of humours that the Suns traded Marion for Shaq and ran D’Antoni out of town, only to hire a D’Antoni clone (Alvin Gentry), trade Shaq for nothing and draft a replacement for Shawn Marion. Oh, and by humorous I mean sickening. Getting back on track, Earl Clark has the skills to be a player. He was a top five talent in this draft but people question his motor. He has been compared to Tim Thomas and Lamar Odom, which can’t be a good thing. I have high hopes for Clark and I hope to see him play a little power forward this year.

What Does 2009-10 Hold?

2009-10 has potential to be the most depressing year in Suns history. They could royally suck and not have their first round draft pick because of a salary dump trade from a few years ago. If the Suns trade away Amare their season is over and they might as well try and trade Nash too. I highly doubt a mid 30s Steve Nash would welcome the idea of playing with a bunch of young players. If the Suns keep Amare and return to their running ways then the 2009-10 season has a chance to at least be fun. Maybe the Suns wont make the playoffs, but a fun season is something all us Suns fans need.

My dream scenario would be the Suns trading Ben Wallace for Tyson Chandler, keeping Amare and returning to their run and gun ways. Maybe, just maybe they could make some noise in the Western Conference with that team. With the Kerr/Sarver combo running the show I highly doubt this will happen. I have lost complete trust in these guys. Every move they make scares me to death.

At least 2009-10 will be unpredictable.

2009 NBA Draft Review, Michael Jackson Style

The King

Thursday, June 25th 2009 was supposed to be the day of the NBA draft. Instead, it will be forever remembered as the day the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died. In tribute to one of the greatest musicians in history, I decided to write a Michael Jackson themed NBA Draft review. Sure, this draft wasn’t full of Pretty Young Things like other NBA drafts have been, but it was still a Thriller.

Black or White

The Clippers shocked no one when they drafted the light skinned Blake Griffin with the first overall pick. Griffin should be solid for the Clippers for a few years until he gets traded because there is no chance he resigns with the club. I don’t think Griffin is going to be a superstar, but he was easily the best player in a bad draft. Speaking of the Griffin family, the Phoenix Suns made it back to back years picking a less talented sibling of a top draft pick, selecting Taylor in the 2nd round of the draft. In interviews after the draft Steve Kerr said he was targeting Jon Barry and Stephen Graham in free agency.

Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough

How great was it to see the Minnasota Timberwolves select three PGs in the first round? I, like most people in the country, was sad to see Ty Lawson was going to get traded. I still can’t understand what the hell the Wolves were thinking. Rubio is an 18 year old Euro guard that can’t play defense and Johnny Flynn is less than six feet tall. Both these players need the ball to be effective. Basically they can never play on the court together for long periods of time. Maybe new GM David Kahn was thinking that he was going to get a future PG no matter what this draft and used multiple draft picks to ensure he would.

Human Nature

I'm going to haunt your dreams OKC

It’s human nature to play it safe. This goes for the NBA or any facet of life. Both the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder played it safe with their picks. The Grizzlies didn’t want to risk a hold out by Ricky Rubio, so they drafted Hasheem Thabeet instead. Thabeet has size, but he is never going to be dominate. His best case scenario is Dikembe Mutombo without the offensive game (not that Mutombo ever had an offensive game). True centers are dying in this league and I don’t think Thabeet is going to bring them back.

The Hornets took Desert Ball favorite James Harden, but Rubio should have been the pick here. I am a big Russel Westbrook fan but he is not a natural PG. He could move off the ball and play in the same backcourt as Rubio, while still defending two guards even though he is undersized for that position. Who wouldn’t have wanted to see Durant and Rubio playing together for years? Harden can do a lot of things good but I don’t think he is going to do anything great in the NBA.

I Just Can’t Stop Loving You

Was Stephen Curry the most loved player in the NBA draft? The New York Knicks and Mike D’Antoni reportedly coveted him and were disappointed when he was drafted one pick before them. The Knicks then had to sell their fan base on Jordan Hill, stating he could “run” with the team. The Phoenix Suns reportedly had a deal in place that would have sent Amare to Golden State for a package that included the #7 pick and they were elated when Stephen Curry fell to them. The Suns viewed him as their future at the PG position. News then broke yesterday that Golden State is so enamored with Curry that they wouldn’t include him in the trade, even if that means losing out on Amare. Is Curry really that good? Everyone sure seems to think so.

Off the Wall

Bring Back the Fade!

My favorite player this draft: Brandon Jennings. There are many reasons to like Jennings. First, he decided to screw the University of Arizona by going to play pro ball in Europe instead of honoring his commitment to them. Secondly, he is from Compton. All the best ballers are from Compton (I have no empirical evidence to back this up). Third, he tried to bring back the fade haircut from the early 90s. Never mind the rumors that he has a low IQ, is a headcase, can’t shoot and commits turnovers; I think Jennings has the ability to be a good pro. He was also involved in my favorite part of the draft: When he showed up randomly after the Suns pick leading to David Stern to say “With the 14th pick the Phoenix Suns draft Earl Clark, he is not here . . . . . .  . . . . but! . . . . . Brandon Jennings is here!” Priceless comedy.

Beat It

Most teams in the NBA have spent the better part of this decade trying to figure out how to beat the San Antonio Spurs. After everyone finally thought they were done, they trade for Richard Jefferson and basically give up nothing. Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas, two of the players traded, are likely to get bought out of their contracts and return to the Spurs. After acquiring Jefferson the Spurs had a probably top 15 pick, DeJuan “I have no ACLs” Blair fall into their laps in the 2nd round. Blair will never be great, but he is NBA ready now and will be a great role player for them. It is going to be tough to beat the Spurs in 2010.

She’s Out of My Life

The Phoenix Suns did their best the past few days to completely shed their identity. On Wednesday they traded Shaq for cap relief, mainly because Steve Nash allegedly told them to. They then started fielding offers for Amare Stoudemire and rumor has it he is going to be traded to Golden State. Two of the three players that have defined the Suns the past few years are on their way out. It is going to be weird to see Amare out of our lives as Suns fans.

Man in the Mirror

I Hate Megatron!

LeBron finally gets his sidekick in Shaquille O’Neal. The real question is, how is O’Neal going to act playing Starscream to LeBron’s Megatron? Shaq said all the right things about taking a supporting role when he came to Phoenix but in the end the Suns still fed into his ego. If Shaq doesn’t get as many touches as he did last year is he still not a problem for the Suns? Since Shaq is only going to be in Cleveland for one year I don’t think it is going to be an issue. Still, Shaq is a visible figure and loves to hear himself talk and be in the limelight so it is possible he could step on King James’ toes.

Remember the Time?

Remember when Vince Carter was a superstar? Now he has been traded for underwhelming packages twice in his career. He was traded to Orlando on draft day for Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston. No one knows how this trade is going to play out. This would have been a huge deal earlier this decade, but now Carter is full of question marks. Does he really care? How much does he have left? If this is a trade to offset what could be the impending loss of Hedo Turkoglu then I don’t think it makes the Magic any better. This is still a good trade for them though, and if Hedo stays then the Magic become really interesting.

In the Closet

DeMar Derozen and Jrue Holliday have loads of talent but were underwhelming in their freshman years in college. They both declared for the NBA draft because they knew they would get picked high because it was a weak draft class and they probably didn’t want to be in college in the first place. Derozen got picked 9th overall by USC, which means he is probably going to take a pay cut from his USC days (zzzzziiiiiiiiinnnnnng!). Derozen has talent but I don’t think he is going to do much his rookie year. The same goes for Holliday, drafted by Philly at 17, who was a PG playing off the ball in UCLA last year. Holliday has the potential to be a good PG because of his size, let’s just hope his turnover problems in college were because he was out of position. These guys have a lot of potential, but they are probably going to have spend a year in the closet learning the game.

The 2009 NBA draft sure was interesting, it is to bad it had to happen on such a bad day. RIP Michael Jackson, we will always love your music.

The Missing Links

I went on vacation and something funny happened, my blog started to get a lot more traffic. Not that I am anywhere close to making it big, but I would like to keep the momentum up by posting more. That brings me back to my vacation thing, I don’t really want to blog on vacation because I need to at least think I have some semblance of a life. Therefore I will give you another short post, a few links I have found interesting from around the internet:

• Vince Marotta over at Fanster.com tells us the 10 best and worst Suns draft picks of all time. There are a lot of centers on the “10 worst” list and a lot of icons on the “10 best” list.
• I love the Transformers and I love the MLB, so of course I love this post about Transformers: Revenge of the MLB Fallen. The only think not to like is it centers on Red Sox and Yankees, that is sooo 2004.
• Let’s hope Jimmy Fallon’s golf game is better than his awful monologues. He will be facing off against Tiger Woods in a Wii Golf challenge. I’ll give Fallon some credit, he is always doing something cool on his shows.
• A Street Fighter IV tournament at the Phoenix Convention Center and I am out of town!!!! Dibs on Ryu.
• Now we are even accusing cartoon characters of juicing. Spoiler Alert: I don’t see how the Hulk isn’t number one on this list.
• I predicted the D-Backs to take the NL West this year, now D-Backs guru Nick Piecoro is talking about them being in the race for the #1 pick . . . what a season.

Off to enjoy the rest of my vacation!

Suns Draft Preview

It’s NBA Draft season Suns fans, and since the Suns are actually drafting players now and not selling their draft picks it means I can write a Suns related NBA Draft preview. Sure, the Suns didn’t have the best luck picking their players last year but at least they are drafting. Robin Lopez and Goran Dragic will improve eventually, although neither is going to be an impact player. Can the Suns get an impact player at #14? Anything is possible. The question is, do the Suns draft a prospect for the future or someone who can help them win now. Let’s review the candidates:

Brandon Jennings PG-

Jennings is famous for going from high school to playing overseas for one year before entering the NBA draft. He passed up playing for the Arizona Wildcats for a year, so that was a wise decision on his part. He is a point guard, but he played off the ball overseas for reasons we aren’t entirely sure why. He wants to play for New York and their up tempo game, so he would probably enjoy playing in the Suns up tempo game. I think Jennings will be a solid pro because he is a fast and can beat his defender off the dribble. Remember how good Aaron Brooks was against LA because he was super fast and he got into the paint at will? Jennings has that type of ability. He is a flashy player, kind of like Jason Williams was when he first came into the league for Sacramento. If he improves his jump shot he will be a legit NBA player. He would give the Suns their first true backup for Steve Nash and they could both play on the court together. Drafting Jennings would also be a giant middle finger to Dragic, which I think everyone is okay with. I probably wasted all our time previewing Jennings because he isn’t going to fall to Phoenix.

Ty Lawson PG-

Lawson had a huge impact in the tournament but I don’t think he is going to be a great pro. He would be a solid backup to Nash, but Lawson is never going to be a starting point guard on a good NBA team. He doesn’t have the athletic ability of a Raymon Felton or other UNC PGs of the past. He did play a lot of up tempo basketball at UNC, which would help him in Phoenix. Lawson has also been injury prone in his career, he probably isn’t the best option for Phoenix.

Tyler Hansbrough PF-

If the Suns trade Shaq for expiring contracts, they are going to need some size. Hansbrough isn’t the answer. He is the classic great college player but sub par NBA player. I think his career is going to go the way of Sheldon Williams. NBAdraft.net compares him to Mark Madsen. Do the Suns really want to spend the 14th pick of the draft on Mark Madsen? Do the Suns really want an nonathletic PF that struggles at defense?

Jeff Teague PG-

Teague is a little bit like Brandon Jennings in his explosiveness and ability to take players off the dribble. To me, Teague seems like a future third guard in the NBA. A combo guard that wouldn’t be good running the point for long periods of time. Think of an American version of Leandro Barbosa. Teague also isn’t the best defender, not that the Suns are totally concerned with that. He would be able to spell Nash, but I don’t think he is the answer for this team.

James Johnson SF-

Teague’s college teammate, Johnson, is an intriguing prospect. He has great size for a small forward (6-8, 257) and is really strong and athletic. I also like his ability to create his own shot. He has been knocked for his inconsistency and isn’t the best rebounder, but he is a tough kid and would be an asset to this team. He kind of reminds me of a bigger Joe Johnson. The Suns have always had luck with players named Johnson, maybe James can continue that trend.

BJ Mullens C-

It seems Mullens is moving up on the Suns’ chart. I don’t think I’m too thrilled about this because centers from Ohio State really haven’t done anything lately. Mullens does have some athletic ability and he apparently is a good pick and roll player. Steve Nash could probably work with him and make him a decent offensive player. I don’t think the Suns need another center who is offensive minded. I would hope the Suns don’t draft himsolely because they might trade Shaq and they need some size.

Earl Clark SF-

Clark is another intriguing prospect for the Suns. He is tall and long for a small forward, he has a body like Lamar Odom. He has the ability to play the 3 and the 4, much like Shawn Marion did. Clark would create defensive mismatches, which is what made the Suns great in past years. I think I like Earl Clark a lot because he reminds me of Shawn Marion. If the Suns trade Shaq I could easily see Clark playing a lot of PF this year with Amare playing C. Sure, this completely undermines what Steve Kerr was brought in to do but who cares anymore.

The Final Verdict:

If the Suns get Clark or Johnson I think they did well this draft. They need an athletic wing player and someone to replace Matt Barnes. I think Clark would be a fantastic get and Johnson intrigues me with his size and offensive ability. I am leaning towards Clark, but I will just be relieved if the Suns don’t draft Mullens.

Shaq: Addition by Subtraction?

I was never very good at math, so that makes me woefully unprepared to tackle concepts like “Addition by Subtraction” or subjects as complicated as the NBA Salary Cap and Luxury tax. Still, I am going to attempt to give my two cents on this whole Shaq to Cleveland situation. I am going to examine arguments on both sides and finally find out what the Suns should really do.

Why Shaq Should Stay

I'll Take My Tweets to Cleveland

Let me list to you the true centers the Suns have had in recent years: Shaq, Mark West, Joe Kleine, Jake Tsakalidis . . . do I need to continue? Even at age 37 Shaq was all NBA third team last year and is the best center in Phoenix Suns’ history. Sure, Amare Stoudemire made a few All NBA first teams as a center but he was never a true center. Shaq can still be dominate in the post, he is still a good rebounder and has the bulk to bang and defend the bigger players in the NBA. If the Suns trade Shaq they are likely only going to get players they are going to cut in return, so they will be suffering from a severe lack of size.

Another reason to keep Shaq, he is entertaining. The guy is a icon and even during one of the most frustrating seasons in Suns’ history last year he managed to keep us entertained week after week. You never know what he is going to do on the court, say to the media or tweet. If the Suns are going to be bad next year at least Shaq will help make them entertaining. He will also put butts in the seats because he is still a big ticket player and one of the 50 greatest players ever. It is still an honor to watch him play.

Why Shaq Should Go

Buy Me Out, Please

To quote Abba: Money, Money, Money. If the Suns trade Shaq they will save a ton of money. The current trade in the works is Shaq to Cleveland for Ben Wallace and Sasha Non Guaranteed Contract (that is his last name, right?). The Suns would then release Sasha and buy out Ben Wallace. This would allow the Suns to come in under the luxury cap, saving them countless dollars. The Suns could then use this money they saved to sign a free agent to the mid level exception. Marcin Gortat, the backup center for the Orlando Magic, has been brought up as a possible target this week. Number of people in the valley that are excited about this is approximately three.

Another reason to trade Shaq: pick and roll defense. Opposing teams often murder Shaq and Steve Nash with pick and roll plays. Nash is a bad perimeter defender and Shaq is to slow to switch when Nash gets picked. A more mobile big man, like Robin Lopez, is a better defensive option for the Suns. Ever since Shaq came to Phoenix he has changed the way the Suns play. Steve Nash doesn’t have the freedom he did pre-Shaq and he has made subtle hints that he wants it back. Nash and the Suns are at their best when they are slashing and running the pick and roll, something that is harder to do with a big, space-eating Shaq in the middle. Take Shaq out of the equation and the Suns space the court better and probably improve defensively.

The Verdict

The Suns may be forced to trade Shaq because it seems as though they would operate better without him. Still, a sheer salary dump wouldn’t do a whole lot to help the team. This team needs to compete in 2009-10, because they don’t have their draft pick to justify tanking the season. Unless they can get something of value back in the Cleveland deal (JJ Hickson or a first round draft pick) I don’t think they should do the trade.

Shaq is an expiring contract in the fabled Summer of 2010 and still a box office draw. It would probably be smart for the Suns to hold on tohim and try to compete this year. They could always trade him at the February trading deadline and even if they don’t he is still a very large expiring contract. I just cringe at the idea of the Suns going into 2009-10 with Robin Lopez as their starting center.